St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-26
A PICK AT THE POLICE.
The Grand Jury Closes It's Session With a
y Severe. Baok-Handed Slap at
&. The Finest"
That August Body, the Jury, Thinks Po-
lice Officials Exercise Too Much
Authority.
Several Cases Cited in Which 1t Is
Said Criminals Were Released
Without Trial.
A Report On the Jail--Its Filthy Con-
dit1on-.The Food supply
All Right.

IL mas already Deen stated the grand jury
has had before it certain persons from
whom it has been seeking information
touching the conduct of the police force.
After this it was not to be expected the
body would adjourn without some alluslon
to 1.-THE finest" and it did not. The fol-
lowing ''pick at its gray hairs" comes in
the form of report:
TOUGH ON THE POLICE.
We, the grand jury, deem it our duty to
call the attention of the court to what seems
TO us an evil practice very largely prevalent
in the detective department of the police
force OF the city, viz: That of Nrresling
CRIMINALS Keeping them in confinement a
short time. and turning them loose without
presenting them before the court for hear
ing. IL seems to US that this practice should
De summary stopped. Officers and men should
be taught that their business is to enforce the
laws and ordinances and not construe them
TINS being solely the promise of the court.
Inc TACT that man being designated with
authority as chief of police or captain of de-
tectlyeS, carries with ii no right to order
THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS
when once arrested, or grant them immunity
from further arrest. The practice seems to
be that these officers constitute themselves
both Judges and jury, and shows them to be
sadly lacking in an intelligent knowledge of
their duties. The fact that criminals have
been released from arrest and are to-day
walking our streets free from moleStatiOn-
and criminals, too. against whom there is
the strongest testimony-showS there is
some mysterious power shielding them, and
we believe 1t our duty to call the attention of
the newly organized police commission to the
following facts that have been drawn fir ON
more than one witness, viz: That on or
about March 24 one Lawson, thief, was ar
rested, together with on Lynch. Both of
them have by this jury been
INDICTED ON UNDOUBTED EVIDENCE.
Both were confined in the central station
Lynch was stupidity allowed to escape. Law
son was taken to Duluth, accompanied by
Chief of Police Hill and Capt. Hankinson, of
the detective force, and there let loose with
out the shadow OF an excuse. There were
three in the gang, Kennedy. the third. being
captured at Duluth. Faint claim is now made
that Lawson was taken along to assist in
| finding Kennedy. He did not assist, as he
was allowed to go free as soon as the train ar
rived there and before Kennedy was found.
In two days Lawson appeared on our streets
and has been here ever since, and claims he
has immunity from arrest, while he is known
to be the leader of the gang and dangerous
crook. One detective claims he intended to
arrest Lawson the second time after he re-
turned to the city, but was warned by Capt.
Hankinson not to modest him. Said Lawson
is now under arrest, having been indicted by
this jury under the cleareSr testimony and
y
officers had the same testimony then as now.
ANOTHER CASE
that seems to be Il hagrant viola ton of law is
the case of the arrest of q confidence man
known as Doc Tanner, and confederate
who were confined for q short time. Parties
interested recognized the men and were faith
fully promised, both by the mayor and chief
of police, that the men would be held in Gus
tody until the principal witness could be got
here. He was telegraphed for by his friends
and was here by O'Clock a. IN. next day, and
when he and his friends put IN an appearance
at the station were coolly told that the per-
sons had been released. The jailer testifies
he released the men by the order of the chief
of police, he, the latter, saying the mayor had
ordered them released. This was fragrant
case of confidence mems operation, the party
losing $3.50. The culprits should have been
held for hearing at least, especially so con-
sidering the promises made to the victim and
his friends by those in authority. The records
of the jai1er at the central station has marked
on the margin of the book these words, RE
leased by order of the mayor
THE COUNTY JAIL.
g The following report in regard to the COP
ditionsofsthe county Jail is less severe in its
nature, but is withal an interesting docu-
ment.s
HOn April a. 1887, the grand jury visited
the county Jail for the purpose Of making an
II.
treatment of prisoners and of the prison
fare. We found about forty prisoners in the
Jail. We found the cells very dirty and un-
necessarily filthy, the bedding sadly in need
of washing, and new blankets would be very
acceptable. The floors and bedsteads should
be painted, the hammocks cleaned or replaced
b. new ones. The water closets and the cells
in general emit a very offensive odor; the
drain was also unceaned and gives evil
dence of bad sewerage, which should be re-
placed by modern plumbing. The ventilation
is generally bad. We found repairs going on
in the jail, which interfered materially with
the regular operation of the Jail and the
manipulation of the prisoners. The turnkey
would do we'll to spend part of his time in
keeping cells and closets clean and insisting
upon the prisoners aiding in the same. It is
particularly desirable that young men and
boys confined in the county Jail awaiting trial
should not be allowed on the same floor or
tier of cells with confirmed and hardened
criminals, the influence being bad, and the
culprits being made worse by contamination
There are literally no convenences for the
accommodation of women; but this matter,
we understand, has been taken up by the
county commissioners. In regard to the
feeding of prisoners. The food was found
clean, wholesome, and was furnished in fairly
Suffipinnt